"Unfortunately, there are still lines at gas stations, and the right grade of gasoline isn't always available," Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

The fatalities included a 53-year-old woman, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

Speaking at a congress of the ruling United Russia party, Putin said the West had failed to defeat Russia "on the battlefield" and was therefore trying to "stir up the political situation and sow internal unrest."

Key developments on June 27-28: * Ukraine struck oil refineries in Russia's Krasnodar Krai and Yaroslavl Oblast, Zelensky says * Ukraine says 'Spirit of Anchorage' is 'dead,' Russia must face reality in peace talks * Explosions, fires reported in Kyiv amid Russian missile attack * Ukraine strikes Russian oil hub supplying Moscow for 2nd time this month, military says Ukraine struck oil refineries in Russia's Krasnodar Krai and Yaroslavl Oblast overnight on June 28, President Volodymyr Zele

In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Kateryna Denisova examines how Ukraine's attitudes toward LGBTQ people have changed — and why the country's laws have struggled to keep pace.

President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed erecting a monument to Cossack Hetman Ivan Mazepa on the site where a statue of Vladimir Lenin was toppled during the EuroMaidan Revolution in Kyiv, calling it a step toward restoring "historical justice."

Kyiv has been deepening security partnerships across the Gulf region, offering to bolster local defenses against Iranian drones.

Photos and videos posted to social media purport to show large flames and plumes of smoke emanating from what appears to be storage tanks at the Slavyansk refinery.

Ukraine's Air Force said it intercepted all six Iskander-M ballistic missiles, one of the two Zircon hypersonic missiles or Onyx missiles, and 125 of the 142 drones launched by Russia overnight.

"If the 'Spirit of Anchorage' even existed, it is certainly dead now," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said, mocking Russia's claims about an "understanding" reached during last year's summit with the U.S. in Alaska.

Donald Trump "diminished our standing in the eyes of the world more than any president in history has," former U.S. President Joe Biden said in one of his rare public speeches since leaving office in 2025.

The number includes 1,250 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Julie Davis' departure leaves a key diplomatic post vacant at a critical moment, while peace talks remain at a standstill. It remains unclear who will succeed Davis or when a permanent ambassador might be nominated.

Russia once again unleashed a barrage of ballistic missiles strikes on Kyiv overnight on June 28, damaging several sites within the city and injuring at least two people, officials said.

"Slovakia will not pay for Ukraine's military expenses," Prime Minister Robert Fico said ahead of the summit in Ankara in July.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, a right-wing populist leader with authoritarian tendencies and warm ties with Russia, said on June 27 that he would resign from office.

The so-called "Alaska understanding" refers to Moscow's request that Washington to pressure Ukraine to withdraw completely from Donbas, one person familiar with the Alaska discussions previously told the Kyiv Independent.

Aleksey Zhuravlyov, first deputy chair of Russian State Duma Defense Committee, said Moscow would strengthen its military presence along the border with Finland and could easily destroy half the country.

This weekly update from the Kyiv Independent aims to shed light on the situation facing Ukrainians living under Russian occupation and the ever-tightening control of information imposed by the Kremlin. Key news as of June 27: * Russian-installed authorities in occupied Crimea announce state of emergency amid intensified Ukrainian drone attacks * Ukrainian strikes hit energy, oil infrastructure in Russian-occupied Crimea as power outages continue, military confirms * Ukraine destroys key log

"We spent the whole night in a shelter." "The cafes are all open… but they ask for cash or a bank transfer; many cafes don't have electricity." "As for fuel, I still recommend bringing some with you whenever possible." "Those who traveled to Crimea every year can't be scared by anything." These are just a few messages from a Telegram group where tourists in occupied Crimea discuss conditions on the peninsula. Nighttime explosions, long queues at gas stations, and oil slicks along the coast h

The civilians were detained by Russian forces during the occupation of Mariupol and parts of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk oblasts in 2022.

The strike is part of a 40-day campaign approved by President Volodymyr Zelensky, which he said is aimed at "compelling" Russia to end the war.

The pilot was located by a search-and-rescue team, which evacuated him to a medical facility.

Russia launched 129 Shahed-type attack drones overnight on June 27, Ukraine's Air Force said.

The strike targeted a major defense enterprise that manufactures launchers for the Yars and Topol-M strategic missile systems, as well as launchers for the Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile system.

The number includes 1,350 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on June 26 that President Karol Nawrocki's decision to strip President Volodymyr Zelensky of Poland's Order of the White Eagle was an inappropriate response to the recent diplomatic dispute between Warsaw and Kyiv.

The victims include two 12-year-old sisters, who have both been hospitalized, according to Ukraine's National Police.

"We remember that justice for Ukraine means justice for the Crimean Tatar people as well," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 26.

* Ukraine brings home 160 POWs in new exchange with Russia; * EU to restrict protections for Ukrainian men, says it's at Kyiv's request; * Russian-installed authorities in occupied Crimea announce state of emergency amid intensified Ukrainian drone attacks; * Ukraine says it struck Russian military supply vessels, air defense systems in occupied Crimea. A total of 160 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) were released in the latest major exchange with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said

It is official: thanks to readers around the world, we have just hit our biggest membership goal yet.

The European Union and Ukraine held their second intergovernmental conference and opened the first cluster of accession talks, known as "Fundamentals", in Luxembourg on June 15. The name seems mundane, but the substance is anything but. This cluster is the spine of the whole process. It covers the rule of law, democratic institutions, public administration, and economic criteria, and contains five negotiation chapters: judiciary and fundamental rights; justice, freedom, and security; public pro